KEITH PRAY’S BIG SOUL ENSEMBLE @ TESS’ LARK TAVERN, 1/31/10

By Michael Eck
Special to The Times Union
ALBANY – Five trumpets, five saxophones, three trombones, one tuba, piano, bass and drums. That, folks, is a lot of firepower, especially when it’s all crammed onto the tiny stage at Tess’ Lark Tavern.
Keith Pray’s 17-piece Big Soul Ensemble has been making a glorious noise at the downtown venue for three years now, and Sunday they gathered for two shows to celebrate the release of the group’s debut album, appropriately titled “Live at The Lark Tavern.”
Pray’s band would be the envy of any city ten times the size of Albany, but perhaps even more impressive than the group’s sheer talent is its effort to keep the idea of the concert big band alive – and to do so by highlighting the work of local artists.
During Sunday’s first show, for example, Pray introduced tunes by himself as well as pianist Yuko Kishimoto and guitarist John Dworkin. And saxophonist/bandmember Brian Patneaude’s “Change” is a highlight of the disc as well.
Sunday’s initial set actually kicked off with one Pray’s most impressive arrangements, a whomping take of John Coltrane’s “Syeeda’s Song Flute” paired with Charles Mingus’ “Moanin.”
Not surprisingly, the band has a huge sound, especially given the intimate space, but Pray makes the combo pay attention to dynamics.
Kishimoto’s “Elements” –which opens the CD – for example, featured suite-like changes in rhythm and tone, almost echoing composer Phillip Glass in the way repetitive lines cascaded through the brass and woodwinds.
Patneaude blew a beautiful excursion during an almost Arabic middle section on the latter, throwing out a spray of notes before returning to the song to a trombone vamp.
On Dworkin’s “Renee,” fellow tenor man Lee Russo’s lighter, yellow tone contrasted with Patneaude’s big, brown sound and Pray also contributed nice soprano work on his straight horn.
The leader returned to alto for his own “I Remember Roland,” the highlight of the afternoon. The tune – dedicated to Pray’s Manhattan mentor, Sir Roland Hanna — opened with a lovely melody pairing alto and flugelhorn. As it progressed the tune developed over a wonderful, meditative ostinato (courtesy of bassist Lou Smaldone, pianist Dave Gleason and drummer Bob Halek). Even at its peak, though, it never lost its hypnotic, Ellingtonian reserve. Beautiful.
The group closed the first show with a brand new Pray composition, “Down at the Lark.”
It will almost certainly become the crew’s trademark tune with its second-line romp and joyous New Orleans tinge – complete with plungers on the trumpets and a snazzy double time finish.
Trombonist Brian Kaplan dazzled on “Lark” with a long solo and an almost comical progression of cadenzas at the end of the tune.
Keith Pray’s Big Soul Ensemble is a Capital Region treasure. They’ll take this Tuesday off to rest from Sunday’s shows and resume their first Tuesday of the month residency at Tess’ in March.

KEITH PRAY’S BIG SOUL ENSEMBLE
When: 4 p.m. Sunday
Where: Tess’ Lark Tavern, 453 Madison Ave, Albany
Length: 80 minutes
Highlights: Pray’s “I Remember Roland” and “Down At The Lark” show just what his big band can do.
The crowd – A very packed house, filled with supportive jazz fans.
Upcoming: The group returns to the Lark Tavern on March 2.